Hair securing means, particularly a hair-clasp or barrette, or a hair-comb with such securing means

ABSTRACT

A hair securing means, such as a hair-clasp or barrette, or a hair-comb, which comprise a pivotal resilient locking lever, and a locking pin provided with a panlike recess having two surfaces which are inclined at an angle to each other. The locking lever cooperates with the locking pin by engaging the panlike recess. The locking pin has a head in the shape of the surface of the circumference of a circular cylinder. The longitudinal axis of the latter is the apex line of the panlike recess. The surface of the latter extends at least to one half of the circular circumference. The locking lever is provided with a rectangular opening, and the length of the opening corresponds to the width of the head and the width of the opening corresponds to the thickness of the head plus an amount less than the depth of the recess.

United States Patent Abraham Feb. 29, 1972 [54] HAIR SECURING MEANS,

PARTICULARLY A HAIR-CLASP OR BARRETTE, OR A HAIR-COMB WITH SUCH SECURING MEANS {72] Inventor: AntonAhraham, Vienna, Austria v [73] Assignee: Wiener Kammtabrik Anton Abraham Komm. Ges.

[22] Filed: May 11, 1970 211 App]. No.: 36,361

1,052,310 2/1913 Burlando ..132/48R 2,813,533 11/1957 Fay ..132/48 R FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 862,047 l/l953 Germany... '.132/46 R Primary ExaminerLouis G. Mancene Assistant Examiner Gregory E. McNeill Attorney-Emest G. Montague [57] ABSTRACT A hair securing means, such as a hair-clasp or barrette, or a hair-comb, which comprise a pivotal resilient locking lever, and a locking pin provided with a-panlike recess having two surfaces which are inclined at an angle to each other. The locking lever cooperates with the locking pin by engaging the panlike recess. The locking pin has a head in the shape of the surface of the circumference of a circular cylinder. The 10ngitudina] axis of the latter is the apex line of the panlike recess The surface of the latter extends at least to one half of the circular circumference. The locking lever is provided with a rectangular opening, and the length of the opening corresponds to the width of the head and the width of the opening corresponds to the thickness of the head plus an amount less than the depth of the recess.

9 Claims, 17 Drawing Figures PMENTEDFEB 29 m2 SHEET 2 OF 2 Z IN%ENTOR.

HAIR SECURING MEANS, PARTICULARLY A HAIR- CLASP R BARRETIE, OR A HAIR-COMB WITH SUCH SECURING MEANS The present invention relates to a hair securing means, such as a hair clasp or barrette, or a hair-comb, comprising a pivotal, resilient locking lever and a locking pin or detent pro vided with a panlike recess having two surfaces which are inclined at an angle to each other, the locking lever cooperating with the locking pin by engaging the panlike recess.

Hair-clasps of this kind are known having a bearing for the locking lever, which may consist of an axle and bores in the locking lever or in a bearing pin. Such bearings are very fragile and thus often cause early breakage. Furthermore, it is rather cumbersome to produce such a bearing on account of its small dimensions.

It is an object of the invention to provide hair securing means of the above-mentioned kind, which avoid the use of a bearing and yet guarantee that the locking lever cannot fall off when in its opened position. According to the present invention this is obtained by a special form of the head of the locking pin and an opening in the locking lever cooperating with this head.

The present invention consists essentially in that the head of the locking pin has the shape of the surface of the circumference of a circular cylinder, the longitudinal axis of which is the apex line of the panlike recess, and which surface extends at least to one half of the circular circumference, and in that the locking lever is provided with a rectangular opening, the length of which corresponds to the width of the head, and the width of which corresponds to the thickness of wall of the head plus an amount less than the depth of the panlike recess.

According to one embodiment of the present invention a continuous groove is provided in the apex line of the panlike recess. This groove is preferably cylindrically in shape and has a circular cross section which is concentric to the surface of the circumference of the circular cylinder of the head of the locking pin. In this case the narrow side of the rectangular opening of the locking lever which is supported in the panlike recess, is cylindrically thickened for engaging the cylindrical groove. In the closed position the locking lever rests in the panlike recess or its groove, and depending on the amount of the inserted tuft of hair it is bent to a greater or lesser degree, the panlike recess providing the freedom of movement of the locking lever required. When pivoting the locking lever around the pin into the open position, the lever cannot accidentally fall out of the pin, on account of the dimensions of the opening in the locking lever stated above. On the other hand, the clasp may be released by turning the lever past the circumference of the regular cylinder of the locking pin head beyond its open end, whereby the lever is set free. In this manner the locking lever may be pivoted just as in the case of being supported by a bearing, yet it is also made possible to release the lever by pressing on its free end and turning the lever.

If the hair securing means according to the present invention are provided on a hair-comb a tight grip of the hair is obtained.

With these and other objects in view which will become apparent in the following detailed description, the present invention, which is shown by example only, will be clearly understood in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of one end of a hair-clasp with the locking pin and the locking lever shown in full lines in its closed position and in dotted lines in its open position;

FIG. 2 is a similar view as FIG. 1 with an inserted tuft of hair;

FIG. 3 is a top view of the locking lever according to FIG. 1 with the locking pin in cross section;

FIGS. 4 and 5 are side views of a hair-clasp provided with two modified locking pins according to the present invention and shown without and with inserted tuft of hair, respectively;

FIG. 6 is a bottom view to FIGS. 4 and 5, respectively;

FIGS. 7 to 9 are partial cross-sectional views through different embodiments of the head of the locking pin and of the locking lever;

FIGS. 10 and 1 1 are side elevations of further embodiments of a hair-clasp which is provided at one end with a-locking pin according to the present invention and at the other end with a conventional detent;

FIGS. 12 and 13 are a sectional side elevation and view, respectively, of further embodiments of a hair-clasp the holding body of which is provided with a longitudinal opening and with a row of teeth, respectively;

FIG. 14 is a rear elevation of a hair-comb with two locking pins and a locking lever according to the invention provided on the rear side of the comb;

FIG. 15 is a sectional view along line XV-XV of FIG. 14;

FIG. 16 is a front elevation of another embodiment of a hair-comb with a locking lever and two locking pins, one of them being provided on the rear side and the other on the front side of the comb,

and FIG. 17 is a sectional view along line XVII-XVII of FIG. l6.

Referring now to the drawings, in FIGS. 1 and 2 the holding body of a hair-clasp is denoted by 1, its resilient locking lever by 2 and the locking pin by 3, the head of which has the shape of the surface of the circumference of a regular cylinder 4, which extends at least to half of the circular circumference. The longitudinal axis of this circumferential surface is in the apex line of a panlike recess 5 formed by two surfaces 6, 7, which are inclined at an angle of approximately to each other. In its empty closed position (FIG. 1), as well as when holding a tuft of hair 9 (FIG. 2), one end of the locking lever 2 rests against the pin 3, and engages the recess 5, whereas its other end rests against a pin provided on the other end of the holding body, as will be described hereinafter.

For connecting the locking lever 2 with the locking pin 3 in an articulate and releasable manner, the lever 2 is provided with a rectangular opening 10, the length 1 of which corresponds to the width of the head of the pin 3, and the width b of which is bigger than the thickness s of the head of the pin 3 by an amount t, which is smaller than the depth t of the recess 5. This dimension of the width b makes it possible on the one hand to swing the locking lever 2, into its open position 2' (FIG. 1), without the lever falling off the pin 3, and on the other hand to release the clasp. For this purpose the lever 2 is turned past the surface of the circumference of the regular cylinder of the hooklike head of the pin 3 beyond its open end in the direction of the arrow a, so that the lever 2 may be taken off the pin 3. The end 8 of the lever, which extends beyond the pin 3 may be reinforced for facilitating taking off the lever. The surfaces 6, 7, which are inclined at an angle to each other, provide the range of movement required for swinging the lever 2 in the one or other direction.

The holding body 1 of the hair-clasp according to FIGS. 4 to 6 is provided on either end with two locking pins 33 of identical form, the recess of which is provided with a groove 34, which is coaxial to the apex line of the recess. The locking lever 11, which rests at both ends in a groove 34 is provided with an opening 10 on either end (FIG. 6) the dimensions of which correspond to the dimensions of the opening of the lever 2 in FIG. 3. At will the lever 11 may be taken off from either of the two pins 33 and turned into the open position. Therefore, the two ends of the lever 11 project beyond the pins 33 to such an extent that they may be easily grasped for handling. FIG. 4 shows the empty closed position and FIG. 5 the closed position of the hair-clasp with an inserted tuft of hair 9. The groove 34 is of a cylindrical shape and extends concentrically to the cylindrical circumferential surface of the pin 33 as may particularly be seen from the circular cross section of FIGS. 4 and 5. In this case it is suitable to provide the locking lever with a cylindrical reinforcement, which engages the cylindrical groove 34. FIGS. 7 to 9 show such embodiments, where the locking lever is provided with a cylindrical reinforcement on the narrow side of the rectangular opening which rests in the panlike recess, the reinforcement 35 according to FIG. 7 being concentric to the longitudinal axis of the lever 11, and the reinforcements 35' and 35 according to FIGS. 8 and 9 being eccentrically positioned to the one and the other side, respectively, in relation to the longitudinal axis of the lever 11.

The hair-clasp according to FIG. 10 is provided with a locking pin 3 at its one end, which is of the same form as the pin 3 shown in FIG. 1. The other end is provided with a pin 12 and a panlike recess 13 in a conventional manner. The one end of the locking lever 14 provided with the opening 10 cooperates with the pin 3 and may be turned about the latter for opening the hair-clasp. The other end of the lever 14 does not surround the pin 12 but rests in its recess 13. When opening this hair-clasp, the end 15 of the locking lever is moved transversely to the holding body 16 until it becomes disengaged and then it is turned about the apex line of the recess of the pin 3.

FIG. 1 1 shows a hair-clasp, where the one end 17 of its locking lever 18 is connected with the pin 33 as in the case of the hair-clasp according to FIGS. 4 and 5. Its other end 19 is provided with a longitudinally extending opening 20 cooperating with a second pin 21, provided with a constriction 22. When opening the hair-clasp, the end 19 of the lever 18 is removed from the pin 21, and the lever is turned about the groove of the pin 33.

The further embodiments of hair-clasp according to FIGS. 12 and 13 differ from the hair-clasp according to FIGS. 4 to 6 by a longitudinal opening 23 in the holding body 24 (FIG. 12) and by a row of teeth 25 on the holding body 26 (FIG. 13), respectively, in order to obtain an improved gripping effect of the hair-clasp particularly in the case of thin tufts of hair being inserted. However, the hair-clasp may also be provided on a comb, in which case the back of the comb is the holding body of the clasp. With the comb according to FIGS. 14 and 15 two locking pins 33 are provided at the rear side of the back of the comb 27 near its ends, which cooperate with a locking lever 28 with openings 10 corresponding to the embodiments shown in FIG. 6. According to FIGS. 16 and 17 the back of the comb 29 is provided on its rear side with a pin 33' and on its front side with a pin 33". The end 30 of the resilient locking lever 31, which may be turned about the pin 33', is bent in U-shape so that it surrounds the back of the comb. When opening the locking lever, its end 32 is lifted from the pin 33' and the lever is turned about the groove of the pin 33".

The locking pin cooperating with the locking lever according to the present invention is suitably provided on the two ends of a hair-clasp or the like, which has the advantage that the locking lever may be opened at one or the other end of the hair-clasp, as desired, so that the hair-clasp may be actuated by left-handers as well as by right-handers.

In case the locking pin according to the present invention is provided only at one end of a hair-clasp or the like, the pin at this end will then replace the conventional bearing, whereas the other end of the lever may be provided with a conventional pin e.g., as described above with a pin having a recess or a constricted neck. The resilient locking lever in its closed position, without inserted tuft of hair should preferably contact the holding body of the clasp or project into a central opening thereof so that thin tufts of hair may be held securely by the hair clasp.

While I have disclosed several embodiments of the present invention, it is to be understood that these embodiments are given by example only and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

l. A hair securing means, such as a hair-clasp or barrette, or a hair-comb, comprising a pivotal resilient locking lever, and

a locking pin provided with a panlike recess having two surfaces which are inclined at an angle to each other,

said locking lever cooperating with said locking pin by engaging said panlike recess,

wherein said locking pin having a head in the shape of the surface of the circumference of a circular cylinder,

the longitudinal axis of the latter being the apex line of said panlike recess,

the surface of the latter extending at least to one half of said circular circumference,

said locking lever being provided with a rectangular opening, and

v the length of said opening corresponding to the width of said head and the width of said opening corresponding to the thickness of said head plus an amount less than the depth of said recess.

2. The hair securing means, as set forth in claim 1, wherein a continuous groove is provided in the apex line of said panlike recess.

3. The hair securing means, as set forth in claim 2, wherein said groove is cylindrical in shape and has a circular cross section concentric to said circumferential surface of said circular cylinder of said head of said locking pin.

4. The hair securing means, as set forth in claim 3, wherein said locking lever is cylindrically reinforced at one edge of said rectangular opening for engaging said cylindrical groove of said panlike recess.

5. The hair securing means, as set forth in claim 3, wherein said panlike recess is formed by two surfaces inclined to each other at an angle at about 6. The hair securing means, as set forth in claim 5, wherein said locking lever is provided with a reinforced end portion extending beyond said locking pin.

7. The hair securing means, as set forth in claim 6, wherein said means comprise a member having the form of a hairclasp, wherein two of said locking pins are provided each at one end of said hair-clasp, and

said locking lever is provided at both ends with said opening cooperating with said pins.

8. The hair securing means, as set forth in claim 6, wherein said means comprise a member having the form of a haircomb, wherein one of said locking pins is provided on the back of said comb near one end thereof and a further portion of said locking pin is provided on the opposite end of the back of said comb, and

said locking lever is provided at both ends with said opening cooperating with said pins.

9. The hair securing means, as set forth in claim 8, wherein said means comprise the form of a hair-comb, wherein said two locking pins are provided on opposite sides of the back of the comb. 

1. A hair securing means, such as a hair-clasp or barrette, or a hair-comb, comprising a pivotal resilient locking lever, and a locking pin provided with a panlike recess having two surfaces which are inclined at an angle to each other, said locking lever cooperating with said locking pin by engaging said panlike recess, wherein said locking pin having a head in the shape of the surface of the circumference of a circular cylinder, the longitudinal axis of the latter being the apex line of said panlike recess, the surface of the latter extending at least to one half of said circular circumference, said locking lever being provided with a rectangular opening, and the length of said opening corresponding to the width of said head and the width of said opening corresponding to the thickness of said head plus an amount less than the depth of said recess.
 2. The hair securing means, as set forth in claim 1, wherein a continuous groove is provided in the apex line of said panlike recess.
 3. The hair securing means, as set forth in claim 2, wherein said groove is cylindrical in shape and has a circular cross section concentric to said circumferential surface of said circular cylinder of said head of said locking pin.
 4. The hair securing means, as set forth in claim 3, wherein said locking lever is cylindrically reinforced at one edge of said rectangular opening for engaging said cylindrical groove of said panlike recess.
 5. The hair securing means, as set forth in claim 3, wherein said panlike recess is formed by two surfaces inclined to each other at an angle at about 90*.
 6. The hair securing means, as set forth in claim 5, wherein said locking lever is provided with a reinforced end portion extending beyond said locking pin.
 7. The hair securing means, as set forth in claim 6, wherein said means comprise a member having the form of a hair-clasp, wherein two of said locking pins are provided each at one end of said hair-clasp, and said locking lever is provided at both ends with said opening cooperating with said pins.
 8. The hair securing means, as set forth in claim 6, wherein said means comprise a member having the form of a hair-comb, wherein one of said locking pins is provided on the back of said comb near one end thereof and a further portion of said locking pin is provided on the opposite end of the back oF said comb, and said locking lever is provided at both ends with said opening cooperating with said pins.
 9. The hair securing means, as set forth in claim 8, wherein said means comprise the form of a hair-comb, wherein said two locking pins are provided on opposite sides of the back of the comb. 